LAWAS – The power supply in northern Sarawak has been greatly enhanced upon the connection of the region with the State Grid and the reducing of reliance of diesel fuel system to boost long-term energy security.
The commissioning of this 275kV Lawas substation is a major step in doing so, being part of an extensive connectivity plan for power stability across the north.
The facility, approved on 21 November, is part of a package which benefits from transmission lines referred to as the 275kV Bunut-Medamit, Medamit-Laud, and Lawas-Mengalong; that contribute towards enhanced grid retention and provide for easy cross-border flow of electricity.
It is anticipated that the Grid 3-C Cable Project will be able to integrate Limbang Division with the Sarawak Grid by July 2026, which will in turn increase confidence on the electricity supply in this region.
The integration is also in line with Sarawak-Sabah Power Grid Interconnection supply power, which started on Dec 13th to fulfill another level of regional cooperation in the energy sector.
Northern Sarawak now enjoys a grid which is stronger and more flexible and powered, to a significant degree, by Sarawak’s hydro generation capacity.
This connectivity minimises the chances of supply interruptions, allows rapid operational response and provides access to good quality electricity in rural and remote areas.
One of the biggest contributors to that resilience is the Kota 2 Mini Hydroelectric Plant, inaugurated in 2019 on the Kota River outside Lawas.
The plant has been designed to mitigate the challenges of remote, diesel-based grids and is a run-of-river derivative power generator that produces 10.5 megawatts of clean power.
Together with the 4 megawatt Kota 1 Hydropower Plant, his two facilities achieve energy cascading by taking advantage of water flow at various elevations.
The interconnection of Lawas to the Sarawak Grid, will entail the need for renewable energy to maintain its significance as a source for its electricity supply in playing an important role in supporting power demand in the region.
Sarawak Energy is also a long-term sustainability goal, as less reliance from fossil fuel is used and results in decreased carbon emissions.
Officials stressed that the upgraded infrastructure not only benefits near-term supply assurance, but also enables future expansion of regional grid.
It also involves more collaboration between Sarawak and its neighbouring states, and ensuring that the power wheel keeps turning for future generations.
